The 6-foot-4, 260-pounder, who plays at guard on offense and tackle on defense, opted to join the Hokies and coach Frank Beamer after having narrowed his list to Virginia Tech, Indiana, and Western Michigan.

Pettit vistited Ohio University last Monday, and traveled to Virginia Tech’s Blacksburg, Va., campus on Tuesday. He visited Marshall on Wednesday before putting an end to his plan of visiting nine campuses in two weeks.

“I just liked Virginia Tech a lot,” said Pettit, whose older brother Cody is a lineman at Central Michigan. “It’s a great school and a great program obviously. The coaches won me over.

“I really liked the offensive line coach, Jeff Grimes. He’s a big family man, and just a great guy. He is everything I was looking for in a coach. Coach Beamer is a very good coach and a very good man. He’s a legend down there.”

Pettit said the high-profile nature of the Hokies’ program was not the main reason he will head to Blacksburg.

“That had nothing to do with my decision,” Pettit said. “Sure, I’m going to be walking into a stadium with 66,000 fans, but honestly it came down to the people.

“It’s a great academic school and a great football school, and I fell in love with it.”

Pettit, who had 70 tackles and three sacks on the defensive side for Patrick Henry last season, was recruited as an offensive lineman by Virginia Tech, which considers him a prospect at guard, tackle, or center.